Andrew Zimmern Never Buys Meat At Big Box Supermarkets — Where He Goes Instead

There are very few food-related items, if any, that Andrew Zimmern hasn't educated us on. If anything, the rarer the food, the more likely Zimmern is to know about it. For instance, he sat down with Tasting Table at the New York City Wine & Food Festival (NYCWFF) in 2023 to lay down his knowledge on enjoying some rather unusual cuts of meat that are generally discarded. His insight into meat is rather astounding. So, when we saw him talking about how much it matters where you buy meat, we knew it was best to listen up.

"I always buy my meat from shopkeepers who support local farmers and find a way to use every part of the animal," wrote Zimmern on his blog while complimenting old-world butchers like Lowry Hill Meats in Minneapolis. "The meat is infinitely better than anything you can buy at a big box supermarket." And while it seems like local butchers are becoming harder to find, Zimmern believes that those shops are worth seeking out in order to get the best quality, variety, and taste from your meats.

It also might interest you to know that butcher shops like Lowry Hill Meats are starting to make a comeback. While 2015 saw us looking at dwindling numbers of butchers and slaughterhouses, especially when compared to generations prior, the numbers are starting to resurge.

Local butchers offer so much more than just the meat you purchase. Buying from a local butcher means you will know where your meat came from, if it's organic, free-range, or whether it's been grass-fed or grain-fed, all of which can change the taste and quality level of the meat. "Plus, you get face time with the experts to request certain cuts or ask specific questions," adds Zimmern, which can be a huge advantage for your table and your wallet.

When Zimmern sat down with Tasting Table and discussed his love for the more unusual cuts of meat, he also enlightened us on how using those specific cuts can be both highly flavorful and incredibly economical. "A lot of people enjoy throwing a luxury steak on a grill. These days, most people can't afford that," he told us. "This food that's born of poverty — what the Italians call '[cucina] povera' — are the things that a lot of people are now turning to again."

Your local butcher is going to be a wealth of knowledge on this front. They are the perfect person to ask about these meats, their costs, and the best ways to prepare and serve them. Just like anyone else in business, your butcher is going to know their product inside and out (literally in this context). So, ask them about the lesser-known (and possibly cheaper) meat options. Maybe take a page from Zimmern and go for the neck!